23
by Finn21
Summary: AU. When Nathan's father is killed in a tragic accident, his life suddenly becomes entwined with a quiet girl named Haley James. Will he be able to put his own pain aside for his dreams? Will he learn to let go and move on? Only time will tell.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This idea popped into my head today and so I just had to write it down. This story promises to be much less angst-y than Chemical Love, despite the first chapter. My intentions for this story is for it be more of an old-fashioned romantic type of journey for our favorite twosome. None of those silly triangles involved. Cross my heart. As always your thoughts are and comments are very much appreciated, because I love to know what you think. Feedback, no matter what, is always welcome. So please read on and hopefully enjoy!

_I won't always live in my regrets_

**Prologue**

_In a corner of a dark attic, underneath a pile of old newspaper clippings and tarnished trophies it lay there. Forgotten. Lost. Unwanted, for more than two decades. _

_Its color was still hidden along the black shadows of the room, its vibrancy yearning to break free from its dusty tomb. It was a symbol of a life long ago left behind. A life that was not to ever be spoken of again. This emblem, this piece of the past, did not exist outside of the walls it was hidden within._

_It was not to ever be found._

_And yet, it was to be found once again, by the blue eyes of one curious boy and his dreams larger than even he would have hoped them to be._

**Chapter 1**

Nathan Scott wasn't the kind of kid you would call a loner. Outgoing, talkative, adventurous, fearless to the bone, he was the sort of twelve-year-old you would picture any All-American family to have. Talented in sports, handsome, a B average student, the kind of kid who always had at least five friends around him at any time. He was any parent's dream child. He wasn't exactly what he seemed.

At first no one noticed his talent. The way he would hold a basketball in his hands, curve his wrists, and rise up on his feet, to make that flawless basket. No one paid attention when he started beating the neighborhood kids at games of 'horse' at his backyard hoop. Not even when they were twice his age. It just didn't seem real. An eight-year-old with that kind of talent. It couldn't be. It was just luck. Or so they would say, and so Nathan would believe them as well. He would go about his days at school as every normal second grader, fifth grader, seventh grader could.

When he'd get home, he'd grab the orange leather bound ball, the one that sat in the back of his closet so his parents couldn't take it away, and he would go into his back yard and play. Sometimes he spent all night on his own court shooting baskets, one after another, until his hands were raw and his neck and feet ached with exhaustion, his stomach empty and growling.

His mother would call him in then, and he would come, but always after he glanced up into the window of his father's study to see him pull back away. He wondered why his father watched him play, but never joined in, never let him play at school, or in the playground around the block. Always at home, and now always by himself.

It was strange really, but Nathan never thought to ask why his father did the things he did. Why he wanted them that way, when they made him look so unhappy. His mother never asked questions, and so he figured it was better not to say anything as well.

It was in the month that passed, two weeks after Nathan's thirteenth birthday, that everything began to crumble under Scott's perfect existence. Death and pain had befallen them like nothing before ever had. All of it happening so fast, so quick, almost as if it were some cruel touch of fate. A way for destiny to balance out all of the good it had given them in the past.

So huge was the accident that it made the six o'clock news. The dreaded words spread out in bold headlines across their local newspaper: **Two Die in Fatal Car Crash.**

It had to be a dream. No, no it had to be a nightmare. One that wouldn't stop repeating itself over and over again in Nathan's mind. People didn't die because bridges fall out. It's unrealistic, it's stupid. People died of cancer, or old age, not bad craftsmanship. Things like this just didn't happen in the real world. Not in Nathan's world.

And certainly not to people like his father.

A year later Nathan found himself, outside on his court practicing lay ups. He heard the distinct noise of the back door swing open and shut behind him, but he didn't move from where he stood facing the hoop to turn around and look. Several footsteps slapped against the pavement, coming closer to him, almost asking him to acknowledge them, but he refused. He no longer felt like being compliant, things were much easier if he just didn't respond.

"Nathan," his mother called to him softly, her voice soft and breathy.

He didn't speak. He didn't want to.

"Nathan," she called to him again, and her voice broke a little, the way it always did now when she said his name, like it hurt her to say it. Like it made her remember his father.

"Yeah," Nathan said, this time, bouncing the ball against the asphalt in quick repetition, his eyes focused on the ground and nothing else.

"We have some guests. I'd like you to meet."

There was an awkwardness to the way his mother was speaking, her words jilted and uneven. It was unnerving, and it brought him back to the early days of his father's death, when everything felt dark. When everything was empty.

But being as petulant as he was these days, Nathan stood in place and dribbled the ball a few more times. "And . . . ?"

"And," his mother grew impatient. "I'd like you to drop the basketball, come over here, and politely greet our guests please."

He held the ball in his hand and shut his eyes. He took a deep breath in, turned around and opened his eyes on _her_.

Only five feet then, with straight brown hair and wide brown eyes, she looked like any other girl his age. She wasn't anything exceptional, he thought. But he didn't look away. He stared at her, and she stared at him, and they stood there in silence, in awe.

"I apologize, he's not usually like this," his mother came across the court to him and put her hand on his back urging forward. "Nathan, where are your manners? Say hello."

Taking a step, Nathan moved out of her eyeline for the briefest of seconds, but it was enough to make the girl conscience of her own staring and she averted her eyes to the grass stained tennis shoes upon her feet. Not one to shy away, Nathan stared at her for a few moments longer before he glanced at the taller figure to her right.

And he felt his heart stop.

It was the woman from the picture he'd seen in the newspaper, right next to the man he'd recognized so well. The man that had died on the bridge with his father. It was _them_. This was his family. Haley and Susan James.

Suddenly the ball dropped from Nathan's fingertips with a heavy thud . . . his body frozen . . . his eyes wide. He could see the figure of the girl's mother coming towards him, a sympathetic smile on her face, her hand reaching out to touch him. Comfort him maybe? He didn't know. He didn't care to know. This woman's husband . . . had killed his father.

Somewhere off in the distance he could hear his mother saying his name, kind words of the woman in front of him. He couldn't feel his anything, and yet he felt everything all at once, making him numb with pain.

"Nathan . . . " his mother's worried voice carried through his foggy brain and brought him back to reality. He found his mother's face and then pulled away from her touch as if burned. His mother tried to reach for him again, but he stepped away, until he was at the edge of the lawn. And then he took off down the street.

He ran all the way down the block before he gave up and took a seat on the edge of the sidewalk, his lungs working overtime and his body heavy. He could feel the weight of his father's absence heavy upon his shoulders, whispering for him to be strong, to be a man. It was so hard though sometimes. It seemed so hopeless. To love someone, care for them, and have them taken away at any time . . . it was pointless. You could lose them all at any moment, any second. Don't get attached. Don't let the pain in. Never let the pain in. It can't affect you that way. He tried to be strong. To be the kind of son he was before. His mother needed him to be that way . . . she was counting on him.

His thoughts blowing through his mind, Nathan rested his arms on his knees and blew out one long breath. A shadow came over his right side and he slowly turned his head up to see the girl again.

"What do you want," he shifted his position on the concrete and tried to focus on the yard across the street from him, but her presence was shaking him more than he would ever admit. And when she didn't speak right away he feared she might stand there forever and gawk at him this way.

When he looked up at her again, she was standing with her hands twirled around the hem of her shirt, furiously biting her lower lip. He waited for her answer impatiently and then seeing her standing their full of uncertainty, knew he would have to wait longer. A single tear was slipping its way down her cream skinned face, and stopped at the edge of her chin before it fell to the ground. He wanted to look away from her, he didn't need to see her crying when he might cry himself, it was too hard.

"Can I sit with you," Haley asked, her words much less meek than he would've figured. And when Nathan caught the girl's eyes that time he didn't see more sadness there. He didn't see pity, or sympathy, or hopelessness.

He saw his own pain reflected right back at him. A window into his own soul.

"If you want," Nathan shrugged, and so she did. Setting herself carefully on the edge of the sidewalk beside him, careful not to touch him, but not be far away either.

A simple gesture.....That was all it took. That was all that was needed.......

Silence transpired thereafter, and for what seemed like ages neither of them spoke, neither of them had to.

The next day, Nathan finally found the courage to venture up to the attic when his mother had gone to the grocery store for a couple hours. Ever since he was young, he was forbidden from going up into the attic . . . some story about poisonous spiders, or rats, or the floorboards being weak, but Nathan knew then as he knew now that there were no spiders or rats, and the attic was so jam packed with boxes that it was a physical impossibility for the boards to be weak and still hold so many things.

It was dusty of course, and he had to hold a hand over his mouth so as not to choke, but stepping up into that attic was like stepping into a whole other world. Old pictures in large frames were scattered everywhere, and boxes of clothes and Christmas decorations seemed to tower over him in droves. In one corner he could see a collection of all his old toys: legos, tonka trucks, and an antique train set his grandfather had got for his seventh birthday, but nothing of his father's.

Traveling past a covered sofa couch and a collection of his mother's old China sets, Nathan saw something gold catch the corner of his eyes. Interest piqued, he went over to the small cluster of boxes in the very corner of the room, and picked out the golden object. It was a small figure of a man with its arms outreached and basketball in it's, as if ready to shoot the ball through a hoop. Glancing down Nathan, rubbed his hand over the trophy, causing the dust to float away in little brown clouds. On the bottom of the plaque read: _Regional Championships--1958, Royal Scott_.

Now more confused than before, Nathan began searching through the box for anything that would explain what in his hand he could not believe to be true. He rummaged through the first box and then a second and then a third, finding nothing. Pulling at the top of the final box, Nathan's mouth dropped open at what he saw.

Everything was now beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

****

**Chapter 2**

It started out as companionship. The need to be near someone that understood the things you'd gone through, the way you felt, the pain that lingered even when everyone else around you had already begun to move on. It helped ease the pain.

So many people just expected Nathan to get over it. They expected him to be himself again. But he wasn't who he used to be, even when he tried, he knew he wasn't that person anymore. He was Nathan Scott, sure, but he was also a son without a father.

In the year that passed after Dan Scott's death, Nathan had a hard time coping with the new reality he was thrust into. He began to pull into himself, and avoid his friends. Most of them were too young and selfish to comprehend what he was going through, that they didn't even attempt to help. Only Jake Jaglski, his best friend from down the block would come and visit him periodically after the funeral, and even then, Nathan never had much to say, and Jake didn't know what to do.

When a few months had gone by and Deb Scott could see that her son's behavior was deteriorating, instead of getting better as so many had promised, she began sending him to a counselor. Weekly group meetings were scheduled where children dealing with the loss of a parent would come together and discuss their experience, and their heartache. Nathan thought the entire thing was a load of crap. People in pain didn't want to spill their guts to a bunch of strangers. They wanted to be left alone. He didn't say that to his mother though. She'd have ended up just making him go twice a week then.

During his second week at the group meeting, he got into an argument with his mom about how often he was playing basketball. She argued that he needed to get out and do other things. Hang out with his friends. He'd told her he was fine by himself. Other people just got in the way. And recently he believed that to be true.

Because of the argument, however, Nathan was late going into the meeting. When he walked in, his stride slow and precise, the first thing that caught his attention was Haley. Sitting in the circle with the other kids around their same age. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, her legs crossed at the ankles. She was the image of tragic beauty. Her big brown eyes, deep pools of sadness. After that day on the sidewalk curb, Nathan had barely spoken to, or seen Haley. He'd catch her around school occasionally, but for never longer than a few seconds, before she'd disappear again.

Eyeing her intently as he took his seat within the circle, he found it oddly comforting to be within her presence again. She locked eyes with him, smiling briefly before a blonde curly-headed girl beside her began whispering something into her ear. She shook her head in response to the blonde's words and then refocused her attention back on the counselor. It was the first time Nathan saw the blonde headed girl talking to Haley, but it wouldn't be the last.

After the meeting, Nathan waited outside of the hospital counseling center on a bench, playing a small gameboy he'd snuck in his pocket before leaving the house earlier. He'd played the same game over and over again and now he was just sick of it. Nothing gave him enjoyment like basketball did. At least not like before...

Irritated, he dropped it down beside him on the bench and sighed.

"Uh...Hey,"a familiar voice came from beside him, and Nathan arched his head up to see Haley's small figure standing by the bench.

"Hey," he replied in a similar manner.

He could feel her eyes on him again, Always looking at him, searching for what he did not know. He was pretty sure that she was waiting for an invitation to sit down, but before he could say anything she took a seat beside him, and folded her hands in her lap as before.

"So...what do you think of group," she asked, biting nervously at her bottom lip.

"I don't," he slumped down into the bench, and watched as a woman with a baby began to cross the street from the hospital to the parking garage next door. A man, who appeared to be her husband was in tow, carrying various diaper bags.

"Do you come every week," she sat quietly still, the wind blowing her hair up in waves around her head. Nathan's attention got caught up in the sight for a moment, making him pause.

He considered saying, _Not really. My mom makes me come, but I don't want to, so I get out of it when I can. _But it took too much effort to say the truth, to say what HE really felt. It was too hard.

"Sometimes," he answered vaguely in the hopes that, that would be the end to their conversation.

She seemed determined to keep the conversation moving forward, though, and for the following five minutes asked him question after question, until finally he saw his mother's silver BMW pull up along the street in front of them.

"I gotta go," he pushed himself off of the bench and started heading toward the car.

"Nathan...," she called out and he froze hearing his name on her lips. He kept his body forward and turned his head slightly.

She was waiting for him to say something, good bye maybe, or even just to give her a smile. And part of him wanted to be able to give that to her. But he couldn't, and so he turned back, climbed in his mother's car and left.

………….

It was almost a month later until he saw her again. Coming out of school late one afternoon he remembered that his mother had told him to take the bus home because she wasn't going to be able to pick him up from school due to a meeting with one of her many charity organizations. As the bus he should've taken pulled away right as he was stepping from the building, he cursed himself, looped his thumbs through the straps of his backpack and began the long walk home alone.

Five blocks from his neighborhood he saw her as he turned the corner. Her steps were even and sturdy, though she walked with a lightheartedness, Nathan had never seen before.

She was singing something softly to herself as she went. Her voice sweet like chocolate to his ears. He listened as he walked, being calmed by her singing. She turned around when she was finished and observed him from where he was a few feet behind her. He half-expected her to turn her head back around and continue on as if he were never there at all.

Instead she paused, and waited until he was beside her before she began walking again. She followed him home that day, and sat outside on the concrete stoop reading a book while he played basketball. When his mother got home a few hours later, she stuffed her book back in her bag, smiled as Nathan and his mother, then went home.

And it was the same every day after that. The two of them meeting outside once the school bell had rung, walking home to Nathan's house together, where he would play and she would read. Neither of them talked much at first. Probably, Nathan figured, because he didn't have much to say. Haley, of course would start various random conversations every now and then, but mostly she would stick to her books and Nathan would continue to play. It somehow made getting through the day easier, the weeks didn't seem so long as they had before. Thus, things in Nathan's life settled for awhile.

As much as they could for a boy like him.

……………

By Nathan's freshman year of highschool, he'd found a corner of the world to fit into, a place all his own. Yet it never seemed enough. He was never quite satisfied no matter how many good things came his way. He was always ready to test the limits of how much farther he could go, how much better he could be.

Often he found himself intentionally pushing situations to the breaking point just because he could. Haley was the only exception to the mess. She never bothered him when he was upset, or angry or in one of his many moods. She knew, unlike the other people in his life to not get involved when he would shut down. It did no good to try to talk him out of it-he didn't want to be bothered.

He would go outside and play basketball or up into his room where he would stay until he was ready to come down again. If he wanted to talk he would leave little messages for Haley to pick up on. Like the way he'd leave his door cracked open, or he'd sit on the stoop outside dribbling the ball, instead of going straight to the court.

Haley knew these things about him, just as he knew why she cringed every time someone used improper grammar when they spoke, or how her smile would slant slightly to the left when somebody complimented her on the way she looked. They were family to each other. Even if they didn't realize it at the time.

Late, one ordinary Monday afternoon, Haley walked up the Scott drive way to hear yelling within the house. She couldn't quite distinguish what was being said from within, until she reached the backdoor. On the most days she would go ahead and walk right in, but the tension she felt, caused her to hesitate. When the shouting had subsided she stepped in, and traveled up stairs to see Nathan laying on his bed throwing a toy basketball up in the air, catching it and then throwing it up again.

His entire face was rigid, and Haley had half a mind to take two steps back and walk right out the door. She paused, watching him through the crack in the door.

"You coming in," he called out to her, keeping his eyes on the ball. Startled, Haley stepped farther in the room so that she could lean her back against the doorway. Inside the room Jake sat at Nathan's computer desk browsing the internet. He gave Haley a quick smile as he saw her come in, his attention then refocusing on the computer screen in front of him.

Haley looked to Nathan but he didn't acknowledge her any further and so she crossed her arms over her chest, keeping her backpack firmly on her shoulder.

"What's going on," she asked to the quiet room.

From her perspective, Nathan appeared more distracted than usual. She wasn't sure if it was due to the argument with his mother, as often as those did happen, she would assume not. Still it did seem more heated than the others ones she'd heard as of late. Regardless of whether or not something serious happened, Haley wasn't going to stick around where she was not wanted, and if Nathan was going to be a jackass, then she was going elsewhere.

"Hello? Nathan? Earth to Nathan," she drew out, "are you there? Can you hear me?"

When he didn't acknowledge her, she turned to the boy at the desk. "Jake, what's going on? Did I miss something?"

Jake gave her a blank expression, not sure what to say or how to say it. He wasn't the kind of person to get involved in others' matters, especially if he wasn't wanted. Nathan was the most private person he knew, and even though he and Haley were close, he wouldn't dare threaten his and Nathan's friendship by stepping over a line he wasn't supposed to cross.

"Nate should probably take this one. I–

"I can't try out for the team," Nathan finally said in a tight voice, catching the toy ball in his hands and squeezing it until the veins in his hands pulsed against his skin.

Haley's expression turned from annoyed to that of concern. She dropped her bag on the floor by his door and came up to the bed taking a seat on the corner edge.

"Why not," she asked, her face the very picture of confusion. Over the two years that her and Nathan had become close, she'd seen the way his mother looked upon basketball with such disdain. But never had she forbid him to play. Never had she asked him to quit. It didn't make any logical sense why she would now tell him not to join their highschool basketball team, when he lived and breathed the game like nothing else.

Nathan gave her a solemn look and began throwing the ball again. He didn't want to relive the entire conversation again. Arguments with his mother were always brutal, even more so than they had been with his father, who didn't argue at all. He on the other hand, just made his demands clear and expected them to be carried out. There was no alternative. In many ways it was almost easier to follow orders than it was to have a confrontation with someone.

Haley, he knew, wouldn't let up until she'd heard the full story. And as much as he wanted to forget about all of it at that moment, telling her what bothered him, made it not as hard to deal with.

"My mom said I couldn't," he answered, and Haley looked at him even more confused.

A few seconds later, a curly blonde-headed girl by the name of Peyton Sawyer strutted through Nathan's half open door and gave a big smile to the quiet room of people.

"So guess what," she asked with a bright face, plopping down next to Haley on Nathan's bed. Haley eyed both people on either side of her, not sure whether to answer her friends question, or continue to try to talk to Nathan.

"I don't know...what," Haley shrugged, trying to appease Peyton while eyeing Nathan out of the corner of her eye.

"You're supposed to guess," Peyton gave her a smack on the arm. "You to Jake. Come on guess what happened to me today?"

"You figured out how to knock before coming into my room," Nathan blew out in a petulant tone.

Peyton turned to Nathan with a comical expression. "Damn. What's he all pouty about," she asked and Nathan turned to her with a sharp eye.

In the time that Peyton and Haley had been friends, neither the blonde nor Nathan had really ever truly been close. Usually they got along as well as could be expected, but for some reason, when she and Nathan were together banter of some kind was always present. They acted more like siblings than friends. So much that Jake and Haley found it amusing for the most part, but every now and then, when Nathan wasn't in the mood to deal or Peyton was being exceptionally bitter, one of the two would have to break them up before heads would start to fly.

To Haley this appeared to be one of those occasions. "His mom won't let him try out for the basketball team at school," she offered up before Nathan could reply, to which he gave her a blank look still toying with that stupid ball.

"Why not," Peyton asked, echoing Haley's earlier words.

"I don't know...we don't know," Haley answered for him again. Peyton's brow wrinkled and she looked to Jake who had finally joined the conversation.

"Well why don't you just try out anyway," Peyton offered, re-situating herself on the bed.

Nathan focused his attention on the blonde sitting atop his bed, irritated by her very presence in this moment. "Because you can't play without parental consent," he bit out with an icy glare.

"So just forge your mom's signature," she countered, and Nathan rolled his eyes.

"That's a great idea Peyton. Really. It's too bad I didn't think about it earlier...oh but wait, I did. And it won't work, because you have to bring a signed check to pay for your jersey, which I don't have." Nathan was beyond playing games now. His stare was cold and his posture gave off the very essence of his attitude. Everyone in the room knew what he was like when he got this way, and they refused to be a party to it.

"You know what Hales, I'll just call you later tonight," Peyton stated, jumping off Nathan's bed, and pulling Jake along with her.

"See ya tomorrow Haley," Jake smiled. "Nate."

When they were gone, Haley scooted farther up on the bed so that she was sitting parallel to him, her bottom lip between her teeth. She searched his face, trying to read what was going through his mind, but found she couldn't quite decipher what he was thinking. "Do you want to talk? Or do you want me to leave?"

It was a simple question that Nathan should have been able to answer easily. But he felt conflicting emotions arise in him. He wanted to be alone, he knew he probably should be alone when he was in this bad of a mood. Yet, having Haley there brought him a sense of peace that nothing else could.

He sighed long and hard, letting his eyes fall shut, his head rest against the back board of his bed.

"I just wanna play ball," he breathed, his eyes opening to stare up at his ceiling.

Haley nodded, trying to form a smile for him. "I know," she said. "I know."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

After the first argument with his mother over basketball tryouts, many more smaller spats occurred shortly thereafter. None producing the reaction or outcome Nathan was hoping for. He was beginning to feel hopeless. Almost willing to risk the secret he'd uncovered and kept hidden for over two years, when a few days later he came across the answer to his problem in the most unexpected way.

It was just a quarter passed noon and various students were sprawled out upon the school campus eating lunch. Nathan sat with Haley and Peyton at one of the stone circular tables that was placed in the middle of the quad. Haley was next to Nathan, her lunch on the right and her Algebra book on her left, as she studied the material she'd just learned in class, so as not to forget it. Bored, Nathan stabbed at the meaty substance on his lunch tray with extreme indifference, letting out a long sigh.

"Are you gonna eat that," he mumbled, gesturing to Haley's untouched desert on her own tray.

She glanced up mid problem and shook her head in the negative, returning to her equation quickly. For a minute the two friends sat in quiet: one working, the other eating in peaceful silence until Peyton bounded over from the group of upperclassman she'd been talking to, and bounced down on the seat in front of them with a peppy smile.

"So get this," Peyton preened, causing Haley to avert her attention from her homework for the moment. "Mike Carter just asked me to the Fall Kick Off dance," she smiled wide, unable to stay still in her seat.

Haley gave her a confused look. "Who's Mike Carter?"

"Like the hottest Senior in school. Don't tell me you haven't seen him?"

"I haven't seen him," Haley replied, amused by her friends delight, but otherwise impassive.

Stupefied by her friends words Peyton's features grew comically big. "Blasphemy. Complete Blasphemy. Come here. Right now. Come over here," she said, rising from her seat and pulling Haley over to where she was before. "Now look over to your left just next to the Gym doors. See him? He's the one with the blonde hair and black sweater. See him?"

Haley squinted her eyes and appraised the man Peyton was pointing at for a minute, and then nodded. "Oh yeah I see him. Actually he is kinda cute. I like his eyes, very dreamy," she smiled, and Peyton giggled.

Behind them Nathan snorted to himself, shook his head, and was met with two curious pairs of eyes. "What," he asked innocently, as if he'd been sitting their quietly all along.

Peyton's eyes narrowed in on him. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he shrugged returning to the remaining food on his lunch tray.

"Oh it was something," Peyton countered her reflection serious. "Don't be stingy Nate. Come on. Share the humor."

Bringing his head back up slowly Nathan met Peyton's eyes with defiance. Ever since they'd first met back at the group meetings a couple years ago neither of them had particularly gotten along. Haley and Jake for the most part provided a buffer for when the two would get into heavy arguments but regardless of that fact the two continually managed to clash. She was constantly provoking him and he would in turn jump on her insecurities until they were both at each others throats ready for blood. Haley tried her best at staying neutral, but if their behavior ever got out of control she would usually step in and make peace. As would Jake, who had managed to get stuck with making up a quiz this particular lunch period leaving her all alone.

She wished he were here with her now as she watched the look in Nathan's eyes spread onto his face.

"It's just," he paused for the right words. "I don't get what the big deal is. He's a senior who's blonde and short. So what?"

"He's not short, your tall," Peyton through back at him cooly. "And the _big deal_ is that senior's never ask freshman to dance's. Especially not the first dance of the year, when everyone will see you together. It's like making a statement to the rest of school that this is the kind of person you want to hang out with. He could've chose anybody and he chose me. ME. So yeah, it is a big deal."

Nathan inwardly rolled his eyes at Peyton's over-dramatic words. "Sounds like a lot of bullshit to me, but whatever," he answered, picking up his plastic fork on his tray and picking at the desert he'd taken from Haley.

Peyton stared at him with anger, a comeback ready at the tip of her tongue. She held it despite herself, refusing to let his constant sour attitude affect her good news. Instead she brushed him off, turning back to Haley.

"So anyway, I was thinking we could meet in front of school at like eight, because Mike said he'd pick me up and then he wanted to–

Haley's head snapped up at Peyton's words."Whoa-wait, what," she fumbled.

"I said," Peyton repeated slowly. "We'll meet in front of school at eight–

"No, no, no I heard you. But what's this part about 'we'. I never said I was going."

Peyton's face dropped, all the excitement before slipping away. "Haley. You have to go. You're my best friend. I can't do this by myself."

"Peyt, I'm not a dance kind of girl. I don't fit in well at stuff like this. I...no I can't go," Haley shook her head.

Peyton nodded as a counter act. "Yes you can. Please Haley. Please. You have to go. I can't do this alone. I'll mess it up."

Haley laughed and ran a comforting hand up Peyton's arm. "You won't screw it up Peyt. You got the date didn't you. That's the hard part. The dance is the easy part."

"Which is why you should come. See, you don't even have to do the hard part. Come on Haley. Please. Pretty please," Peyton begged, big puppy dog eyes staring Haley straight in the face.

Haley tried to look to Nathan for help on a way out of this, but he was off in another world completely. Outnumbered by Peyton's charm and lack of an excuse Haley caved in as she often did to her friend's whims and sighed long and hard.

"Ugh. Fine. But don't expect me to be happy about this."

""Of course not," Peyton nodded solemnly before exploding with glee, and wrapping an arm around Haley to give her a quick hug.

"Yes! This is awesome. I have to go tell Mike," she gave the brunette another hug and a big smile and then disappeared back to the crowd she was talking to before.

When the blonde was gone, Haley curled her arms up into a circle on the table in front of her and placed her head on top of it.

"I can not believe I just agreed to this," she moaned into her arms.

"Well played," Nathan retorted sarcastically, scooping up a bite on his fork and shoveling it all into his mouth.

Haley watched him with disdain, sitting up straight again and neatly flipping her books shut to put back in her bag. Their lunch hour almost over.

When she had finished her task she stood up from the table and fit the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder. Nathan grabbed his bag and came up beside her as they walked back toward the building.

"Come by my house and pick me up at 7:30," she through out at him simply.

Nathan blinked, pausing for a minute and then taking a few quick steps to catch up with her again.

"What? I'm-

"If I'm going, you're going," she stated vehemently. Almost testing him to refuse. "Besides you owe me."

"For what," he exclaimed, as they entered the west entrance of the building, the bell ringing loudly behind them letting them know they had five minutes remaining before class began.

"When I had to cover for you, when you lied to your Mom and went to that game up in Charlotte two weeks ago with Jake."

"You said you were cool with that," Nathan protested.

Haley sighed not wanting to get into a battle about this now. "Then look at this as an I owe you. But you're still going with me."

"Do I get any say in this," Nathan asked as they came to their crossroads at the main staircase.

Haley moved in front of him and smiled brightly. "Yeah... Should I wear a red dress or black," she asked sweetly, turning from him and heading up the staircase.

Nathan watched as she went, the muscle in his jaw ticking and looking very much like he was going to hit something or someone. "BLACK," he yelled up the stairs with suppressed anger, wrapping his hand tightly around is backpack strap and heading down the hall to class.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: ****Sorry for the long wait. Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy and feedback is welcomed!**

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**Chapter 4**

Shortly after eight that evening, found Nathan and Haley walking into their school gymnasium together. Peyton had seemingly flaked out and forgotten to meet them in front of the school which led them to come in together, a few sets of eyes watching the freshman couple with curiosity, which made Nathan more uncomfortable than before.

Instinctively he messed with collar of his blue button down shirt. Convinced it made it easier to breathe this way.

"Twenty minutes," he informed her, as the loud beat of the bass from the song the DJ was playing bellowed through the gymnasium floor.

"Nathan..." Haley began.

"I'm serious. Go talk to Peyton, do your thing so that she sees us here and then I can leave," he replied fiercely.

Haley let out a laugh. Nathan was determined if nothing else. From the moment they walked home after school that day, to when he picked her up earlier that night, and even now he was relentless in letting her know exactly how he felt about going to this dance. He did not want to be there. Period. However, despite her own feelings towards the entire event, Haley had a difficult time not finding Nathan's attitude quite comical. Nathan had a bad tendency when he didn't get his way to pout. His mouth would turn up in the corners in the smallest of frowns and his eyes would grow into big blue pools that made it almost possible to refuse whatever he wanted. Almost.

"Relax Nathan, it's not that bad," Haley assured him, as they cut around the crowd to a group of tables off to the side of the dance floor.

"Whatever. I've got better things to do than spend my Friday night at school," he responded with cool indifference.

"I'm sure you do. But dances are supposed to be fun. So loosen up," she turned her head to look at him and smiled.

Nathan gave her an irritated glare. Not wanting to be where he was, and very much not understanding Haley's change in mood from lunch. "Since when did you want to be here? I distinctly remember you begging me to come with you. If you don't care I can easily leave..."

"You leave," she pointed. "And it's with a broken leg Scott, now come on. Let's go," she looped her arm through his and pulled him the rest of the way to the tables where they saw Jake standing off to the side watching Peyton dance.

Jake noticed them the second they came up next to him and he gave them both a smile and a nod. "Hey! What's up guys?"

Haley smiled back at Jake warmly, setting down the black purse she'd brought to match her dress on the table he was leaning against. "Hey! So what are you doing here? Did Peyton trap you into coming too?"

"Actually," he shrugged. "She just mentioned going so I thought I'd check it out."

Haley nodded in response to his words. Although when she noticed Jake's attention return to the dance floor she thought she caught him staring at Peyton a bit longer than she would've figured necessary. Her speculations were interrupted, however, by Nathan's grumbles beside her.

"This is lame," he groaned, stuffing his hands inside his pants pockets.

'Yeah, it pretty much is," Jake added, his eyes set forward. Haley sighed, not completely disagreeing, but trying to be as happy as she could for all involved.

"Where's Peyt," she asked, moving in between the two young men and looking toward the crowed, but unable to see much due to her height.

"Dancing with her date," Jake said with little emotion.

"Ok, well you hold the fort," she nudged Jake in the side and gave him a wink. "I'll be right back."

Nathan watched Haley disappear amongst the dancing masses and let out another audible groan. "This is so going to take longer than twenty minutes."

"You on a schedule," Jake turned to him and laughed.

"Not specifically. Just didn't exactly picture my Friday here, ya know?"

"Yeah man, I know what you mean. So...did you get your Mom to sign the form yet?"

Nathan stilled at Jake's question, feeling the tension in his body rise. "No. We moved passed the screaming stage of arguing and are now into the silent treatment. Which isn't really moving things along."

"You're running out of time Nate. Tryouts are in less than a week."

"I know. I know," he mumbled. "But what am I supposed to do?"

Jake shrugged and shook his head at a loss. "I don't know. But you better think of something quick."

"Amazing," Peyton chimed in, walking up to Nathan. "I can't believe he actually showed. It must be a miracle."

"Peyton. Isn't there a Senior's ass you should be kissing right about now?" Nathan smirked at her.

Peyton smirked back at him. "Cute," she turned to Haley who had come back with her. "Are you gonna dance now?"

"Uh no. I don't dance," Haley stated, inching away from Peyton's grasp.

"Everybody can dance. All you have to do is shuffle your feet," she instructed latching her hand onto Nathan's arm, her other on Haley's back pushing her forward. "Now go."

Nathan didn't budge. "Why are you touching me?"

"Because you and Haley are going to dance," Peyton informed, tugging at his arm.

"Forget it," he tugged back, more so than anything else because he hated people telling him what to do. Especially Peyton.

As if in his own head Haley moved back as well. "Yeah Peyt. I don't really want–

"Both of you shut your mouths and go," Peyton said above them, pushing and pulling them forward with all her might. She got them to the edge of the crowd before she moved away, returning to Jake and dragging him along with her. "I'll see you over there, when you're done," she called out gesturing back to where Mike and his friends were sitting.

On the dance floor Haley and Nathan watched Peyton equal death glares until they could no longer see her. When she was gone their eyes finally met, their bodies still in front of each other. They knew they could make a break for it now, but neither chose to leave. A new song began around them and Haley found her arms slowly coming around Nathan's neck of their own volition. They began to sway to the music, the soft melody making it easy to move back and forth.

"Why does she always talk us into these situations," Haley asked offhand.

"To torture us," Nathan answered simply and Haley laughed, her body relaxing a bit within his arms.

"Sometimes I think so. But hey, at least we're in it together right?"

"Yeah well it would look kind of weird if we were dancing to this song by ourselves," he countered with a smirk.

"HA HA," Haley mock laughed, causing Nathan to smile for the first time that night. His eyes sparkled and glowed against the striking blue shade of his button down shirt and black suit jacket. Making him appear much older than his fifteen years.

Haley blushed despite herself, suddenly aware of just how closely they were together. In the time that they had been friends it had never escaped her attention how good looking Nathan was. From the first moment she saw him she knew he was the most gorgeous boy she'd ever seen. And the thing about Nathan was, the more she gotten to know about him, the more she learned, the stronger his beauty became. With most people, learning their faults, destroying the fantasy image inside of your head with getting to know them often lessened their ability to be attractive, but it wasn't so with Nathan. It never had been. Which was why, she supposed that when he came to her door that night, handsomely dressed in a suit, his hands fidgeting in his pockets, Haley couldn't help the giddy feeling that rose inside her stomach at the thought that this was their first date. Albeit a completely set up one, that Nathan begrudgingly agreed to, but a date nonetheless.

Wrapping her arms tightly around Nathan's neck Haley rested her head against his chest letting his height envelope her and cradle her as they rocked back and forth. A small smile spreading over her mouth as she remembered the look on Nathan's face when he saw her in the black spaghetti strap dress she'd chosen to wear...

He'd been right. Two hours certainly didn't feel like twenty minutes, yet that's exactly how long he'd been inside the school gymnasium. Not that the entire experience had been all for naught. Hanging with his friends had been fun. And that dance with Haley hadn't been so bad, even if she did give him the most awful crick in the neck. Still holding her in his arms had been...

"Excuse me..."

Nathan looked up from where his eyes had been firmly focused on the glass of punch in his hand to the older man that had addressed him. A startled face rose at the shorter bald man, and the blue wind-breaker he wore with the Ravens emblem on the upper left side. Nathan hadn't even realized so absorbed in his own thoughts, that he was blocking the free entrance between the crowd and refreshments table.

"Oh, sorry," Nathan replied stepping back, his attention now on the mans jacket.

"It's quite alright," the he replied, deep hard lines upon his eyes and tight mouth.

Nathan stood still as the other man moved to go, the words inside his head leaving his mouth before he even realized what he'd done. "You're Coach Durham right?"

The man paused and turned slowly. "Most people around these parts call me Whitey. But yes I am."

"You coach Varsity basketball," Nathan said bluntly. And the older man nodded staring at him now with almost a curious appraisal.

"True. What can I do ya for?"

Nathan gulped back a breath of air, his hand tight around the glass of red punch he was holding. This was a now or never kind of deal. He could walk away, that would be a lot easier and hell of a lot less scarier. It wasn't much of a choice.

"Nothing really," Nathan shrugged. "I ...I was just wondering what you might say if there was someone who wanted to try out for Varsity, but they couldn't get a parent signature. Would it be possible for them to still play?"

Whitey's forehead wrinkled into half a dozen lines. "Technically?"

"Technically," Nathan nodded.

"Technically," he began "No. Even if this person made it on the team, without parental consent I cannot allow students to participate in after-school activities, by law. It's an administrative code, it's not up to me."

Nathan's face fell. "Oh...ok."

"Why do you ask," Whitey prodded, intrigued by this young man's emotion.

"My mom won't let me play," Nathan answered forlornly. "She thinks sports are evil. Especially basketball. No matter what I say she won't change her mind."

Whitey nodded, he'd heard many a story before from young men coming into his gym and wanting to play ball, but because of their parents disapproval not being able to. It was always a sad thing to see happen.

"What's your name son," he asked, not even sure himself why.

"Nathan Scott."

A lightbulb went off in Whitey's head and a knowing came over his eyes as he looked at Nathan more closely than before, as if seeing a long forgotten ghost come to life. "I thought you looked familiar. You're Dan Scott's son."

Nathan nodded. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

Whitey looked off into the distance as if caught in memory. "Danny," he sighed. "He left quite a mark on this town. I was sorry to hear him go."

Nathan glanced down to the ground and nodded solemnly. "...So you knew my dad?"

"Briefly, for a time," the older man answered, blinking away his thoughts and returning back to the present. "How long have you been playing ball?"

Nathan gave him a suspicious look at his answer but brushed it off quickly."Um, on and off since I was six. But mostly at park courts and in my back yard."

"Never with a club or junior leagues?"

Nathan shook his head in the negative.

Whitey stood in silence for a moment watching Nathan before him. He was obviously tall enough to play, and with almost ten years of experience behind him, was no doubt more skilled than a few of the players he already had lined up for this year's team. Especially considering where he came from...Yet he probably lacked discipline and many of the basics by never being part of a team unit. Things that one simply cannot learn by playing alone or on a school yard court. Whitey knew logically this wasn't something he should do. It was immature, childish. But his instincts were screaming at him to give this boy a chance. Could he go against his own intuition?

"Tell me something Nathan," he said with utter sobriety. "Why do you think you should be given a chance when so many others would like to play?"

Nathan met Whitey's eyes, his voice calm and certain. "Because I don't want to do anything else."

Whitey grinned at that. "Well you have yourself a good time tonight son," he turned to leave. " And why don't you come into the gym next week. We'll see what you've got."

He didn't know if he'd heard the old man right or not, but the smile that crept onto his face, and lit up his eyes, didn't leave Nathan's face as Whitey walked away, it didn't leave his face the entire night.

Things only began to get more confusing and exciting for Nathan in the few days that followed, when he came home late from school to find the dreaded white permission slip sitting on the dining room table. Signed.

Hurriedly Nathan snatched it up and held it in his hands starting at his mothers signature in quite awe.

From the side of the room his mother entered the kitchen, a warning mask across her face. "Just remember it's a game, ok Nathan. Not a life."

He nodded with casual ease. After all it didn't seem like such a significant statement in that moment. But over time, Nathan was surprised to find out how true his mother's words were.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Nathan had many questions as to why he came home that particular day to find that his mother had indeed signed the permission slip to let him play basketball. But he wasn't ready to push her for the answers as to why, quite yet. It was a big step for his mom to let him play, when for years both her and his father had looked upon the sport with abhorrence At times, Nathan was sure he saw glimpses of pure hatred flash through his mother's eyes at the mere mention of the game, as if it brought about some sort of bad luck. An evil plague.

In the scope of his life, Nathan and his mother weren't what you would call close. They'd talk, and even at times admit they loved each other, but that love was defined by the fact that they were mother and son. Nathan realized this more and more the older he became, which was why most of the time he would only push her so far. His father's death had affected her, sometimes he thought, even worse than him. There was a deep hole within his mother now, an emptiness that he wasn't sure anything could reach. And what troubled him the most was that part of him knew it actually had very little to do with his father's death, and more to do with the change brought about by their new life without his father.

It had been over two years since the accident on the bridge had occurred, and Nathan felt like his mother was still stuck in the grieving period. Unable to move on, unable to let go of the past. She'd quit working with her charities right after the accident, choosing to instead be a stay at home mom, but it wasn't fulfilling to her. In fact, if anything, the longer she stayed cooped up in the foreboding Scott mansion, the more Nathan could see her unhappiness grow. She wasn't trying to move on.

But he had to. And he was going to do that through basketball. His mother didn't have to support him playing ball, she certainly didn't have to be happy about it, all he needed from her was to agree to it. And with her signature on the permission slip she had given him that agreement. Deb Scott had finally given her son his chance to be free, and because of that reason Nathan chose not to question her motives, for he knew in time, everything would come to play. He just had to force himself to patient.

On Friday, a week and a half since he'd come home and found his signed permission slip, Nathan stood in the Tree Hill High gymnasium shooting hoops by himself. Tryouts that had started that Monday, and had finally ended earlier that afternoon, filling Nathan with relief and a large dose of uncertainty. Had he done everything he could? Had he made enough baskets? Had he showcased his defense and offense well enough? Had he played as well as all of the upperclassman? Had he done the best he could? Had he made his mark in Whitey's eyes?

Nathan just wasn't sure he could answer any of those questions with a definitive YES, and so he'd remained even after the rest of the guys had cleared out for the weekend, opting to stay behind and work on his conditioning. Sweat was streaking down his face in tiny rivers, his feet numb, and his lungs working over time as he sprinted back and forth down the court dribbling the ball. He got near the basket at the far end of the gym, and jumped up high, punching the ball into the net, before he landed back upon his feet.

From the open gym doors, Haley stood, leaning against the door jam, watching him with interest. She'd been at student council until four-thirty, and helping out in the tutoring center from then until seven. It was dark outside now, and the school was eerily quite. She'd heard from Nathan and Jake earlier in the week that tryouts usually lasted from 3:30 until 5:30, and yet here he still was. Playing his heart out like nothing else in the world mattered. Haley smiled to herself and shook her head.

"Hey all-star," she called out, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for him to respond.

"Hey what," he smirked knowing she'd been there watching him. He bounced the ball a few more times before shooting it through the hoop once more. He turned around just in time to see Haley roll her eyes.

"Do you think you'll be done anytime soon? Because if not I'm gonna go ahead and walk home."

Nathan brushed a hand across his sweat soaked face, and jogged over to where his ball sat under the hoop. He snatched it up, securing it under his arm and began heading to the locker room to change.

"Hold on. Give me five minutes."

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Outside the school parking lot, heading for home ten minutes later, Haley and Nathan walked together. Unconsciously Haley fiddled with her hair, tucking it behind her ears every time the wind went and swept it up in her face. Casually she turned to Nathan, an inquisitive gleam in her eyes.

"So...how'd tryouts go?"

Nathan winced, his body going cold. The endless uncertainties in his head coming together and multiplying at her inquiry. He didn't want to get into any of it right now, but he forced himself to meet her gaze nonetheless, and instinctively his face softened."That's the million dollar question, isn't it," he blew out uneasily. "I guess we'll all find out on Monday. The coach said he's posting the results on the gym doors before first period."

Haley nodded, sensing the discomfort in his voice. Of all the things Nathan shared with her, of all the things he'd let her in on, basketball just wasn't one of them. It was as if there was some kind of invisible barrier between her and him when it came to this single topic. Haley figured it was because that was a part of Nathan's past that he shared with his father. Although he'd never really admitted or denied this claim, it had always been evident that this was something that he just didn't talk about to other people or her. Mostly, Haley thought, because if they talked about basketball then they'd have to talk about Nathan's father and her father and the accident that took them both away. Haley hoped one day they would, when Nathan was ready. Until then she'd stay away from the subject of his father at all costs, and only bring up basketball on his terms.

When she managed to catch his eye again, his face had twisted back into an unsettled mask, his jaw tight. Haley watched him for a while, noticing the lines in his forehead wrinkle together and then smoothen out. Once he took notice of her staring he met her eyes.

"What?"

"Don't look so worried Nathan. You know you made it."

A heavy smirk curled Nathan's lips, and drew his chin upward. His usual cocky facade coming into focus. "Of course I did. I'm me," he stated, and Haley rolled her eyes at his little show of arrogance.

"Ok. Then what's up?"

Nathan shrugged off his smirk and shook his head. "Nothing," he said, but Haley knew he wasn't telling her the truth.

"And I really believe that," she countered sarcastically. "Come on, something's bothering you. I can tell. Now spill."

Nathan let his head fall back as he puffed out a heavy breath of air. He wasn't in a sharing mood right now, and he didn't feel like regurgitating all of his worries to Haley. She always had this ability to calm any of his fears by a simple look or a few words. He didn't know how she managed it, or why she even tried sometimes, when he would've just given up if he was her. But Haley never had been the type to give up on anything. He'd seen it in her from the moment she'd sat down on the curb beside him the day they met. She could be relentless if she wanted, and Nathan didn't have the energy to challenge her tonight.

"It's just," he tried to find the right words. "Most of these guys are twice my size and seniors, and I... feel completely invisible around them."

He cringed once the words left his mouth and Haley knew it was because more than most, Nathan despised showing his insecurities in any way, shape or form, even to her. He lived by his emotions, his drive, but it was all carefully controlled. He didn't let you in unless he wanted. Haley found she had a difficult time not shutting people out as well, losing a loved one had this frightening capacity to shove doubt into what you thought was stable. It pulled the rug out from under your feet, leaving you against the hard unforgiving floor to pick up all the pieces you'd lost. They were still picking up the pieces. It was a slow process, but Haley was determined to find her way back to normal if it killed her. Her, Peyton and Nathan deserved the kind of happiness others had, and she wasn't going to give up hope that someday they all would have it.

"They've spent the last four years playing ball together Nathan. It's more about them knowing each other and being friends than trying to leave you out. Give it time, you'll fit in eventually," she placed a warm hand on his back and ran it up and down.

Nathan took in her words, trying to believe them, but still very much unsure of it all. "Yeah, but I don't even know if I'll be able to play at this point if I do make it on the team," he argued, hating what was coming out of this mouth. Hating that Haley was hearing him sound so weak.

In reliable Haley fashion, however, she simply shrugged it off and said, "You know I don't know a lot about this sport. As much as I've watched you play, I'm still not sure how it all works. But I figure you have to earn your place on a team, and that takes work, right? You can't expect to be the best player the first time you step onto the field."

"The court," Nathan corrected, cracking a grin.

"Whatever," she shook her head.

"Yeah...I guess you're right," he said, shoving his hands in his jean pockets and looking ahead down the street. He just wasn't so sure he believed it.

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Across town Peyton sat at her computer desk with her sketch pad in her lap, doodling little figurines of curly-headed girls in a progression chart, aging from five to fifteen years old. Inside her walk in closet, Jake stood reading the large collection of records Peyton and her father had collected for her over the years, trying to decide what in particular he was in the mood to listen to.

He squatted down to observe the bottom racks, his finger running across record after record. Nothing was really catching his eye. "Hey do you have any Bon Jovi," he called out randomly.

Peyton ran her thumb over a part of her drawing to smudge the girls curls, making them appear more unruly. She chuckled to herself at Jake's choice in music. "Try the second row from the top, all the way to your left."

Jake searched until he found what he wanted and pulled it out, with a triumphant smile. "How about Van Halen?"

Peyton, stopped what she was doing and burst out loud into laughter. "Van Halen? Are you serious?"

Jake came out from inside her closet and stood at the door, watching her laugh. "Don't begrudge a guy his 80's metal," he said, but Peyton rolled her eyes laughing again.

"What?" he squeaked, his expression turning to that of annoyance. "I can't help it if I have a weakness for the song "Jump", ok! It's catchy."

"Sure, whatever you say David Lee Roth," Peyton shook her head. "I think it's in the middle of the third row, but I'm not sure. It's my dad's... sooo I don't really listen to that one much, ya know," she teased, and Jake just ignored her going back to get the record as she let out another laugh.

After a few minutes had passed and she was throughly convinced that she no longer wanted to work on this particular drawing any longer, she slapped her sketch book shut and threw it on her desk with a thud. Striding over to her bed she plopped down next to Jake who was studying the album covers he'd picked out with interest. Swiftly Peyton snatched the Bon Jovi record from the boy beside her, sticking her tongue out at him and then spreading her body out across the bed, looking over the album for the hundredth time.

Ever since she was a little girl she could remember her father bringing her records home from his trips away. Sometimes he'd bring home stuff from the 70's and 80's such as Van Halen, Duran Duran and Fleetwood Mac. But even more often he'd bring home the classics like Nat King Cole, Fred Astaire or even on a rare occasion if he could get his hands on it, a swing record of the 1930's. It was their thing. Her and her dad's, and Peyton cherished it. She'd often use the album covers to give her ideas for drawings or sketches that she could send to her dad when he was away.

As he came to be, more and more the older Peyton got.

Jake knew Peyton had little to no family, and her grandmother could only make it down to see her a few times a week, leaving her alone the rest of the time until Larry Sawyer returned. So Haley would be there when she could, and Jake was there the rest of time. Not that his family much minded him being gone, not that they even noticed. Which was why he preferred being at Peyton's all the same. At least in her home they could be alone together.

Peyton caught Jake eyeing her, and she wondered what he was thinking. He was a pretty quiet kid, had always been from as far back as she could remember knowing him. He wasn't what you'd call shy, but he wasn't exactly outgoing either. He said what he wanted, when he felt that something was worth talking about. Other than that he kept to himself. Peyton appreciated this, although every now and then it frustrated her to no end that she couldn't figure out what was going through his head. Like now, and the way he'd been staring at her for the past five minutes. It unsettled her, and she didn't know why.

"Did tryouts go ok," she asked hoping to break him out of his thoughts. "Haley wouldn't shut up about it at student council. I actually had to 'shh' her. And I don't 'shh' people!"

An amused smile spread over Jake's face. "Since when are you in student council?"

Peyton flipped over on her front on the bed, picking at her nails."I'm not. Miss Join-every-after-school-activity dragged me there, mumbling something about me getting involved with things so that I don't sit in my room and brood alone. But newsflash--I like my room. And I do not brood."

Jake laughed at Peyton's petulant expression an squinted his eyes, tilting his head to the side. "You kinda do."

"I could kinda kick your ass, how about that,"she made a fist and pointed at Jake's face, but all he did was laugh harder and so she pulled it away frowning.

When Jake's laughter faded away he flopped down on his front on the bed next to her laying parallel with her body."I'm just saying….Maybe she has a point. I mean what are you going to do after school Peyt? If me and Nate are at practice and Haley's at student council slash tutoring slash whatever club she has that week-what are you doing? I hate the thought of you just hanging out here by yourself everyday."

Peyton refused to let Jake's worries get to her."Oh but I'm not alone Jake. I have my trusty web came to keep me company."

Jake grimaced, and realized they were probably on the damn thing right now. He hated that stupid web cam. Why anyone would want to put themselves on public display was beyond him. "Ok, so you're alone with other internet brooding artists and Phil Thompson the town pervert. Very reassuring."

"I'm NOT broody,"Peyton declared, and lightly punched him in the arm when he began laughing again. "And don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

Jake didn't really know if Peyton was feeding him a line of crap or if this was what she really wanted. Since Peyton had met Haley, and Haley had introduced her to himself and Nathan there had never been a significant amount of time when Peyton had been left alone, since her mother's death. But once her father had chosen to go back to work on the rigs full time that summer, it was a constant merry-go-round of who's hanging with Peyton tonight. He thought maybe she was starting get sick of the lack of privacy, or maybe she was to afraid to admit that she would be lonely. Jake didn't know, and he was unsure of how to ask. So he chose to take her answer for what it was.

"If you say so," he replied.

"I do,"she said simply and rolled off her bed returning to her computer desk and picking up her sketchbook.

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On Monday morning Peyton and Haley sat in second period Algebra impatiently awaiting Jake's arrival. On their walk to school that morning Haley could tell Nathan was in ONE of his untouchable moods. He'd obviously had a restless night of sleep, evidence by his disgruntled clothing and barely combed threw hair. When he got this way there was little she could do to bring him out of it. Usually she would talk about something completely pointless and amusing to take his mind off of what he was tumbling around in his head, but this morning had been different. He'd uttered a singular 'hey' to her when he'd picked her up from her house, but that was all and she could sense he was off kilter, would be, until he saw those posted results.

So once they'd arrived at the front of campus, Haley had placed a light hand on his shoulder running it down his arm until she grazed his hand, and the calloused pads of his fingertips. The touch caused his hand to twitch the second their skin connected, bringing him out of his thoughts. He'd glanced at her for a second cracking a small smirk.

"I'll see you at lunch,"she'd said and he'd nodded walking off toward the gym.

Neither she nor Peyton had come across Nathan or Jake since then and the suspense was crawling all over her skin like a spider, driving her insane. She was used to passing Nathan between first and second period, as he was going to study hall and she was going to Algebra, but today she hadn't even caught a glimpse of him.

"Where is he," Haley finally asked Peyton beside her in class. She was fidgeting uncontrollably in her chair, her eyes glued to the door as she simultaneously took quick glances at the clock, There was two minutes before the bell rang to start the period, but Haley was always the first person in class, her notebook and math book spread out open across her desk. She'd been waiting for Peyton and Jake to come in together, but it had been the blonde who had come in first and Haley had forced her self to be patient until he arrived. But it just wasn't working and the pen the that sat between her fingers tapped against the top of her books in nervous repetition.

Peyton gave her an annoyed look at the sound and blew out a sigh. "I don't know. I haven't seen him yet."

Haley began tapping her foot against the linoleum floor, opening her mouth to say something else when Jake treaded into class, taking his seat behind Peyton.

Trying to be as patient as was possible, Haley waited and watched as Jake took his dandy old time extracting his books from his backpack, adjusting them like so on his desk, and then situating himself in his chair until he was in the most comfortable position possible within the confines of his plastic seat. When he'd finally stopped moving, pleased with his position, he looked up to meet two very eager pairs of eyes staring back at him.

Wide-eyed and almost at the edge of strangling Jake for any information he might have, Haley leaned on the back of her chair, her body twisted at an angle so that she could face Jake behind her.

"Well," Peyton started first, her own curiosity beginning to eat away at her.

"Well what," Jake asked nonchalantly, giving nothing away. His face impassive on purpose.

"Well did Nathan make it," Haley through out bluntly.

Jake knew that was what was going to come out of Haley's mouth first, but he mocked hurt noneless."Thanks for the love Hales. Really I appreciate it. It's not like I tired out or anything."

"Did you make it," Peyton asked, sincerely curious and Jake nodded with a smile.

Peyton lifted out of her seat and rose her hand to give him a high-five. "Congrats dude!"

Haley's face went still, as she collected herself. "I'm sorry Jake. Congratulations on making it. Really. Now what about Nathan?"

Her two friends beside her rolled their eyes and she ignored them, waiting eagerly for an answer. As Haley stared anxiously forward the smile on Jake's face fell, his eyes flickering down to his desk. Haley suddenly felt her stomach flip flop. Her breathing growing shallow. Ready to hear the worst.

"Jake," she barked out nervously, needing to know what he knew, regardless of what the news was going to be.

"The thing is," he began in a somber tone, his posture stiff, ..."I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't--," Haley asked, at first unsure she'd heard him right, but when a large playful smile broke across the boy's face both her and Peyton realized they'd been played. Leaning over their chairs they smacked Jake on each of his arms and he laughed, while the bell rang around them signaling the beginning of the period. Their teacher Mr. Peterson entered the room and sat down at his desk to take attendance. But Haley and Peyton didn't move from their backward sitting positions, intent to finish the conversation.

"Yeah what do you mean you don't know," Peyton broke in, echoing Haley's words.

Jake continued to laugh to himself at their priceless expressions. "You guys are classic! CLASS-IC! You should see your faces."

"Remind me to have you take a picture later and I will. Now why the hell don't you know what happened to Nathan," Haley snit, irritated and anxious to find out what was going on. She wanted to kick herself for not just going with Nathan earlier that morning to see the results for herself when she'd had the chance.

"His name was on the list right," Peyton asked.

Jake sobered up quickly at the seriousness in Haley's eyes and in Peyton's voice. Not the time to joke around. "Yeah," he nodded somberly, " but all it said was to see Whitey. I have no idea what that means."

"Well it can't be bad news right? I mean if the coach wants to talk to him personally that has to be a good thing right," Haley babbled, a huge lump forming in her throat.

"I don't know Hales, I hope so," he said with a small smile, that did nothing to ease Haley's worries.

-----------------------

At lunchshe sat with Jake Peyton, waiting for Nathan to arrive. He'd already missed half of lunch and they were all wondering if it was because he was talking to Whitey.

Haley took a small bite of her sandwich and the set it back down on her plastic tray, unsatisfied. She couldn't eat when she was this anxious and dwelling on where Nathan had disappeared to. It seemed like she'd managed to miss him at every turn that morning. They'd bump into each other at least once before lunch everyday, but today of all day's he'd managed to elude her.

Apprehensively she shifted in her seat again. It had been an endless cycle of crossing her legs, running her hands through her hair, and chewing her lip. She just couldn't stay still. Of everyone in their little group she was the one most likely to stay calm when something went wrong. She was the peacemaker, the problem solver, the go-to girl. She didn't get nervous or freak out. She knew how to keep her cool. Right then however, her mind was flying all over the place and her body would not stop moving. Peyton had to place a soothing hand on her back to keep her from fidgeting.

"Haley--breathe. It'll be ok. Whatever the answer is, it'll be ok."

Haley forced a plastic smile on her mouth, drawing her arms under the table to place them in her lap. "I know...I know," she nodded, her voice lowering. "He was just really closed off this morning Peyt, and I know how much this means to him. I just want him to be able to play. He deserves it."

Peyton's face softened, "I get it. I do. But you have to chill out. If he comes over here and says he didn't make it, he's gonna need you to be there for him. You can't do that if you're all wound up like this."

Haley took in Peyton's words and nodded again. "You're right," she said sucking in a deep breath of air and slowly exhaling.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Nathan's figure coming from out of the cafeteria doors, a bottle of water in his hand. Haley immediately straightened in her seat, her body growing tense. Her eyes went to Nathan's, but she couldn't read what he was thinking or feeling. His steps were long, his stride even and relaxed. His face emotionless.

Haley held her breath as he approached their table and sat down beside her. She waited for him to speak first.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Hey," Nathan said to the group as he sat down, looping his thumbs through his backpack straps, lifting it off his shoulders and dropping it on the ground.

"Hey," Peyton and Jake replied casually, as Haley remained silent beside him, watching him carefully.

Nathan could feel all of their eyes on him. None more than Haley's who were managing to burn holes right through the side of his head. He turned to her, his face still. He figured, if he wanted he could torture them by holding out, but what was the point in putting off the inevitable. Especially when Haley looked like she was about ready to jump out of her skin.

"So I talked to Whitey," he said calmly, assuming Jake had already told her and Peyton about the posted results.

"Yeah?" Haley smiled softly, trying not to push him, yet letting him know she was curious to see what his news was.

"Yeah," Nathan propped his elbow on top of the table so he could lean back leisurely. "He said I had a lot of potential and raw talent and blah, blah, blah, but he couldn't put me on JV."

Haley's stomach dropped. "Why not," she cried, completely confused. Across the table Peyton and Jake had similar looks marring their faces. This wasn't really happening was it? This couldn't be happening?

"Because," Nathan began dejectedly, "He said I'd be better suited for starting point guard on Varsity."

Haley blinked, making sure she'd heard him right, her mouth falling open into a huge O.

"Tell me you're not kidding," she searched Nathan's eyes, and watched as his mask of indifference faded into a genuine smile, his entire face beaming in the afternoon sunlight.

"Do I ever kid around with you," he smirked, and Haley let out a loud squeal, wrapping her arms around Nathan's neck and pulling him into a hug. Their entire table erupted into excited laughter, garnering a few prying eyes, but none of them particularly caring.

"That's awesome, man," Jake chuckled, reaching over the table and giving Nathan the obligatory slap on the back.

"I knew you could do it Nathan. Oh, I'm so proud of you," Haley squirmed around in her seat, unable to keep still as the smile on her face stretched wide. Her body buzzing as she remained in his loose embrace.

Across the table Peyton couldn't help the grin that cracked across her face. "Nathan Scott-Varsity basketball player. God Help us all," she shook her head and sighed. Nathan reached over and stuck his hand in her unruly blonde hair, mussing it up and causing her to bat his hands away in irritation, even as they all continued to laugh.

--------------------

Nathan came into the kitchen once he got home from school that day, heading straight for the fridge for his favorite sports drink. His mother was standing by the sink, rinsing each dish separately before putting it into the dishwasher. When she saw her son come in, she smiled at him brightly.

"Hi sweetie. How was school?"

Nathan pulled the refrigerator door open, sticking his head inside to inspect what was there. "I made the team," he answered simply, and pulled out his drink and some left over pizza.

"Oh, that's...good for you."

Nathan puffed out a quiet snort. His mother was never known for being supportive of his dreams to be a basketball player. She was in all matters, almost completely against it. But the fact that she couldn't at least show a modicum of joy for his achievement, hurt more than he could say. She might as well be stomping on his heart with every fake smile and insincere word she blew out, because in the end it did nothing but spur his anger for her and cause him more pain.

"The coach put me on Varsity. Starting point guard, actually," Nathan through out casually, shoving his accomplishment in her face.

Deb was admittedly perplexed, but chose to smile at her son. "Wow. That's a big step. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Nathan swung the refrigerator door closed. "Why wouldn't I be," he turned to his mother defensively.

Deb kept her ever-present smile on her face. "Just be careful Nate. It's only-

"I know. It's only a game," he rolled his eyes. He didn't think he could handle hearing his mother say that to him for the next four years. Especially since he didn't understand where it was coming from. Sure his mother didn't want him to play, she'd made that fact well known. But then why the signed permission slip? And what was that bit about Whitey telling him he'd recognized him as Dan Scott's son? There were just too many pieces of this puzzle that didn't fit, and he was ready to find out some answers.

Nathan watched his mother's back as she stood at the sink scrubbing some grime off a pan. The question he'd been itching to ask her for the past few days was at the front of his mind. "Who's Whitey, Mom?"

The dish cloth that was pressed between the dirty pan and Deb's hand stilled for the briefest of moments. "You're new coach? Am I right," she began scrubbing the pan again.

"Yeah," Nathan replied, walking around the island to the other side of her. "But how did you know that? I never told you his name."

Deb chuckled at her son condescendingly. "Well everybody knows of Whitey, sweetie. He's lived in this town for over sixty years."

She had a point, but Nathan still didn't think it fit. "He said he knew Dad."

"You're father played basketball a little in highschool Nathan. He told you that," she replied, slipping the pan into the dishwater, closing it up, and then wiping her hands on the blue and cream colored apron she had wrapped around her waist. She came up to her son and placed a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Listen Nate, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about..."

Nathan stayed in his place, watching his mother's face like a hawk.

"I've decided to go back to work."

"When?"

"In a week or two probably. I know you don't like the idea of me doing this, but I can't sit around this house any more without anything to do. Plus, Emily down at the Care House mentioned needing some extra help, it won't be so bad. Just a few days here and there."

Yeah right. Nathan knew how ibad/i it was before his Dad died and his mother was working. He knew it would only be worse now. Inwardly he rolled his eyes and moved to leave the room. "Congratulations on going back to work. That's great Mom. Really. I hope you have fun. Try to stop by one of my games if you have time."

"It won't be like before," she tried to reassure him, but he shook his head. He knew how it went. He always knew.

"Yeah, until you start staying late and leaving town on the weekends, right. Because we both know that's going to happen, don't we," he spit out at her and then spun around, stomping down the hallway to the stairs.

"Nathan," Deb called as he left.

"Forget it," he yelled back, not wanting nor needing to listen to his mother spew out more empty promises that she would never fulfill.

--------------------

"So Whitey said this was what, like a trial-run," Haley asked, lounging on the end of Nathan's bed.

She'd come over right after her last tutee had left for the day, eagerly wanting to know more about what Whitey had said during their meeting, and why his name wasn't on the list like the rest of the boys. Nathan explained that Whitey did it in the interest of saving the other freshman hurt feelings, due to his astounding talent that just blew them all away. At that point she had hit him with a pillow and declared him the most arrogant boy she'd ever met, to which he responded that it wasn't arrogance if he was just that good, and things had went down hill from there.

When Haley finally got him back on track twenty minutes later, he'd said that Whitey was giving him a one chance opportunity to prove to him that he was ready to play with a team largely filled with Seniors and a few Juniors. And if it wasn't meant to be there was always next year, but he was willing to take the risk with Nathan. Nathan hadn't forgotten that part.

"No, not really. I'll still be on the team if I screw up, I just have to choose whether I want to sit on the bench for the rest of the season or jump to JV. But I'm not worried about it."

"Of course you're not," Haley exhaled, knowing there were no bounds to how high Nathan's confidence could go. "So when's practice start?"

"Tomorrow," he snatched his toy ball from his desk and plopped down on the bed next to Haley.

"Already?"

"Yeah, that's kind of the point," he laughed, trying to spin the ball on the tip of his extended pointer finger.

Haley watched him attempt to get the ball to spin a few times before she glanced at her watch and noticed it was nearing nine, and her mother would want her home soon. Not to mention the math test she had to begin studying for, and the student counsel proposal she needed to review before Thursday's meeting and...she had to go now.

Pushing herself up off the bed, she grabbed her bag off the ground and fit it on her shoulder. "Well, call me when you're through. You're going to need somebody to help bandage the wounds."

"For what," Nathan caught the ball in his hand and met Haley's eyes.

"From all the Seniors that are going to kick your ass tomorrow," she teased, sticking out her tongue.

"They'll have to get their hands on me first. And, come on, we all know that's not happening," Nathan replied with pure cockiness.

Haley scoffed. "Whatever you say ball-boy. Just remember to deflate your head before you go to bed tonight. You wouldn't want all that pent up air affecting your beauty sleep."

"That's true." Nathan stayed still for a moment, smiling.

Surprised by his lack of reaction Haley moved to leave when she saw Nathan lunge off the bed. He swiftly caught her by the arm, pulling her to the ground and tickling her until she couldn't breathe.

----------------------

The next day, 15 minutes or so after his last period, Nathan walked into the locker room and changed his clothes. When he was done he treaded out onto the court, taking in shallow breaths. Several of the Varsity players were scattered across the bleachers, some talking to the cheerleaders, others talking to each other. At the far end of the gym a group of upperclassmen stood around in a loose circle. One of them took notice of Nathan and nodded for the others to look Nathan's way.

A senior that Nathan recognized as Dillon Neevus stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest menacingly as he set his eyes upon him. "Welcome Freshman," he said, his mouth curving up into an offensive smirk.

Nathan put on an unaffected mask and walked toward the group, even as the underlying feeling that he'd just thrown himself into the hornet's nest scratched at the back of his neck with a dull edge.


End file.
